Truro And Penwith College News February 2016

Truro And Penwith College Delighted At Department For Education Approval To Establish A 16-19 Free School On Its New Callywith Campus.

Truro and Penwith College learned today that its plans to develop new post-16 provision to serve the north and east of Cornwall have received Department for Education endorsement and support to establish a 16-19 free school on its new Callywith campus.

This decision opens the door to very significant investment in new post-16 education and skills provision in Cornwall. The Callywith offer will be comprehensive, with a range of vocational pathways to complement the A level route. Projected recruitment and demand suggest that within five years of its opening over 1,200 Cornish students aged 16-19 could be benefitting annually. The College, drawing on its recognised post-16 track record in vocational and academic learning and its wide partnership working, including Academy sponsorship and support for employers, has established a Trust to oversee the new provision.

David Walrond, Principal of Truro and Penwith College, expressed his delight at the news.

“This decision supports the position of this college and its many stakeholders. There are large, poorly-served areas of Cornwall which need new post-16 opportunities to achieve better results for individual learners, and the much needed improved socio-economic prospects for their localities which these will deliver. Today’s news from the Secretary of State is therefore a huge boost for Cornwall. It will transform young people’s life chances. This free school offer is a vote of confidence in the post-16 record of the College and in its future plans. We are determined to fulfil the high expectations of government and of young people and their families.

“Another important message in this is that working in partnership, Cornwall has the expertise and track record to attract investment to manage its own education and skills provision. The localism and devolution agendas are about demonstrating the capacity and confidence locally to develop education and skills provision which ranks with the very best nationally. This secures both the opportunity to develop our own education offer and the financial commitments to make it happen.”